Essentials V

Eze.37:³ (NRSV) “He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” ⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.”

If you are going to fulfill your destiny, YOU MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO LAY ASIDE YOUR PERSONAL OPINION. You must have the courage to go against popular opinion. Num.14:² Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. ³ “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” ⁴ Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!” I pray, in the Name of Jesus, that you will not choose for yourself a new leader or make yourself a leader that will take you back to Egypt. In spite of the miracles these people had experienced, they still preferred safety in slavery to greatness in obedience.

Num.14:¹⁰ “But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the Tabernacle.” Sometimes, good people get stoned but in Joshua’s case, the glorious presence of the Lord came down and appeared to all the Israelites in the tabernacle. What do you think happened to all the stones in their hands? They dropped them. God rose up to protect Joshua and Caleb. To experience God’s protective presence, you must be ready to get stoned.

If I am going to fight and possess my destiny in God, I must believe that I can do it even if I am afraid, I must have the courage to give my very best, I must have the courage to reject negative advice and I must have the courage to lay aside my own personal opinion. This is really big. It takes courage to lay aside your own personal prejudices. Remember the story of my experience with the exam from yesterday’s devotional? When I failed the exam the first time, I could easily have made that my story. It took courage to even lay aside my own experience, to lay aside my own opinion, to lay aside my own prejudices, and believe God.

The spies saw the giants with their own eyes. However, God is saying, if you want to possess your destiny and all that He has for you, you must have the courage to lay aside your personal opinion. Winston Churchill says, “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

Prayer:  Lord, I am not who I say I am, I am not who people say I am, I am who You say I am. Father, put Your Word in my mouth so that I will be aligned with You, in Jesus Name. Amen!